NORTHAMPTON — D.A. Sullivan & Sons marked an important milestone this month, as the family-owned construction company celebrated 125 years of continuous operation.
Founded in 1897 by Dennis A. Sullivan, the company is now led by his great-grandson Mark Sullivan, who has continued the family’s business legacy four generations in. The company has both built and renovated important structures in western Massachusetts, such as the Northampton Post Office; University of Massachusetts Amherst and Westfield State University campus buildings; and Greenfield’s new library and fire station that are both now under construction.
With annual sales of $40-45 million, D.A. Sullivan & Sons typically manages 15 projects a year. Recently completed projects include renovations of Chicopee City Hall and the Worcester Public Library. Outside of the Greenfield jobs, ongoing projects include construction of the Newman Catholic Center at UMass Amherst and Westhampton’s Public Safety Complex.
Mark Sullivan, who serves as president and executive project manager, called the 125th anniversary and the company’s longevity “humbling” at a celebration dinner at Hotel Northampton last week, where family, friends and business associates gathered for dinner and music.
“My brother and I were here for the 100th anniversary at this hotel,” he said. “And we have three or four employees that were also at that 100th that are still with us now. So we take great pride in that. We’ve had fathers and their sons after them that worked for us for 40 years.”
At the party, Sullivan took the time to thank partygoers for attending a historic event for the company.
“We’ve worked in almost every municipality from Pittsfield to Worcester. We live and work here and raise our kids in the area” Sullivan said. “We’re a big family business and community means everything to us. So thank you in the community for showing up tonight.”
Also present at the party were representatives from the offices of U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern. Kristen Elechko, the regional director for Markey in western Massachusetts, presented Sullivan with a certificate of special congressional recognition. Koby Gardner-Levine, a regional manager for McGovern, read a message the congressman had written to mark the occasion.
“This is historic, not just for you but for the city of Northampton and for the greater western Massachusetts community,” the message read. “When one company can continue to grow and to have the impact you have, quite simply, it’s not an accident. It’s the result of hard work, dedication, vision and the ability to support that vision.”
The company, which has 37 employees at the moment and many more in the summer months, also received one more important recognition, from current Massachusetts governor, and soon-to-be NCAA President Charlie Baker. A citation from Baker acknowledged the company’s “ongoing effort to provide high-quality construction services to industries, business and municipalities in western Massachusetts.”
Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.